Wednesday, May 19, 2010

If you’ve seen this movie you probably don’t remember much of the plot or being overly impressed with the acting but you do remember the house. That beautiful, contemporary, lake side masterpiece that makes you wonder if such beautiful homes really do exist or the filming location was heaven itself. For those of you who have not seen the movie let me save you the trouble and show you the best parts right here at Reckless Bliss. First let me give you a quick recap of the premise. A teenage girl named Jill is forced to babysit for the Mandrakis family as punishment for going over her cell phone minutes. She begins getting creepy phone calls and phones the police to trace the number. I think we all know how that ends-if you don’t and don’t want to know then do not keep reading because the cat has been released from the bag *meow* I think the movie “Black Christmas” (the original Bob Clark one not the remake) does a better job of telling the same basic story minus the fab house. Let’s get back to the reason we’re here, prepare to be impressed:

The entire movie was shot in California. The cabin feel, the seclusion and the peaceful views had me at hello. Then the babysitter went in the house…

Of course this mansion has high end security with gates and alarms. Here’s door number one to get through.

You drive through the gates to the garage.

This is just door number two to walk through on the way to the “real” door.

Right after you walk through door number two you’re on a long gorgeous deck with a BBQ. And your view on the deck? Take a gander below.

*sigh*

Finally, the front door. Phew! I’m tired!

The front of the Mandrakis’ house was built at an unused reservoir, while the interior was in a studio. It doesn’t really exist but few perfect things do.

When you walk in the front door you are in a narrow hall

At the end of the hall you see these beautiful shots.

It may seem strange to have a loft in the middle of your living room but….

when you’ve got these views! All you want to do is sit and stare in awe.

Oh how I would love a book and some tea in this living room.

A shot of the staircase and the luckiest people in the (fictional) world.

Mrs. Mandrakis gives Jill a tour of the house which is probably the best part of the whole movie. This is the hall to the kitchen.

No your eyes are not playing tricks on you. There is an aviary smack dab in the middle of the house.

Birdies and fishies co-mingle in the aviary.

I’ve never seen this in a real house but if it exists and I happen to get mega rich then it will be mine. It could happen….

Every room in the house was equipped with sensory lights that know when you enter and leave a room and thus turns on and off accordingly. You see it first in the kitchen.

Of course there’s a guest house! The Mandrakis’ oldest son lives in the house when he’s home from school.

In preparation for her role as Jill (Camilla Belle) had to do two months of weight training and learning how to run.

The house at dusk.

*Spoiler alert* What would this classic urban legend be without the famous line, “Jill, we've just traced the call... its coming from inside the house!”

Everything is controlled by remotes and Jill has a tough time figuring it out.

The master bedroom. You think when you roll over in bed all the lights turn back on from the movement? I doubt it.

The master bath is on the other side of the bed wall. Here you can see Jill doing what all teenage babysitters have done at one time or another. The official “once-over babysitter snoop.” I would have a hard time not snooping when everything is so decadent and lavish.

This is the only real shot of the dining room. Love the fixture.

After Jill is asked if she’s (cue creepy voice) “checked the children,” by her heavy breathing caller you get a peak at the kiddies room. I don’t quite understand why in this elaborate palace, the two kids share a room but maybe some kids enjoy it?

This is the quick look you get at the inside of the guest house.

And lastly a look at the live in maid Rosa’s bedroom.

See any of these fright night movies for fabulous homes in unfortunate circumstances:

Oh wow, this house is amazing!!! Someday I want a house that knows when I go in and out of rooms and turns the lights on and off. I'm kind of a fanatic about lights being left on. I can't believe they had an actual aviary in their house!!

That was a fabulous house! In the seventies my aunt and uncle had a house in Dallas with a center atrium...it was exactly in the center of the house and all the rooms surrounded it. It was full of exotic plants...like a tropical vacation when you stepped inside.

I remember being very impressed by their wet bar in the living room.

At the time I thought the house was just weird as I grew up in a big 1939 cape cod style house and liked things more traditional but now I realize how cool their house really was.

Thanks posting these pics as I would never ever get around to watching this movie.

I had a hard time opening your page, the pictures only loaded half way and it took a long time. I was just wondering if you size your pictures first before posting them. If you don't size them first, it takes forever to load and you might lose some readers. Just a little friendly tip.

hey ive always had an obsession with this house! im interested in architecture and currently studying interior design with construcion at uni. ive also just been given an assignment to design my dream house and this is the one im going for, ive seen other peoples plans of it on the sims but i shall be doing it in autocad :) ur page has really helped me with my research into creating it thanks xxx

Ok so I watched the movie and the whole time all I could think about was the house, Is it a real house somewhere? Do you know where? And where was the interior done at, in side the house?, or at a studio somewhere?? If you know the address would you please share?!? Thanks!

_Watched the movie and I was amused by the house, ever since I've been looking into the location where it was filmed, thanks for the information, even though it doesn't really exist, just like what you've said if I'm going to have a mountain of cash oh dear I'll make that house exist! =0

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